Project of the week

A very ornate set of gentlemen’s toilets situated at the end of Rothesay’s West Pier, believed to be perhaps the most complete set of Victorian toilets in Britain. They were built to coincide with the opening of the pier at the end of the 19th century, when the Isle of Bute was a booming holiday destination, particularly with Glaswegians travelling ‘doon the watter’. With elaborate mosaics and ceramic tiling, and urinals in porcelain and green marble, this luxurious facility served the needs of wealthy Victorian holiday makers (although available to men only).

By 1990, the toilets had been closed for ten years. Strathclyde Building Preservation Trust undertook the task of bringing them back into use and restoring the interior to its original condition. Restoration work coincided with the reconstruction of Rothesay Pier itself.

Still in use to this day, the toilets have also become one of the island’s most popular visitor attractions.

“This was the recipient of the first – and, at just £267, the smallest - individual grant offer ever made under the Scotland grants programme! Having used the facilities myself, I can confirm that it was pennies well spent.”

Gordon Barr, Development Manager (Scotland) at the Architectural Heritage Fund